Of Mornings and Chocobos
by Prisoner Len
Summary: Waking up to find your stuffed chocobo missing can be a rather upsetting event. ASGZC, mainly SxC fluff. Oneshot.


Bright, innocent blue eyes blinked open slowly, greeting the morning rays of sunshine that peeked through the window above the bed he was curled up in. He closed his eyes and allowed a yawn to escape his mouth, stretching himself slowly and sighing happily when his actions earned a few pops and cracks. It was then he grasped at the empty space before him, and frowned; he was positive he had fallen asleep holding onto Coco—his stuffed chocobo—the night before. He blindly moved his hand around for a moment, then opened his eyes and stared at the space Coco should have been occupying. In its place was long strands of silver hair, but no tattered chocobo.

Cloud gnawed the corner of his lip and stared at Sephiroth's back, debating whether it was worth tearing the bed apart to find Coco. Carefully, he rolled over and pushed himself onto his elbows, trying not to laugh when he caught an eyeful of Zack drooling all over Angeal's bare chest. He turned his gaze back to Sephiroth, and saw Genesis's head tucked under his chin. Cloud snorted quietly; his lovers always slept weird—usually Zack would end up laying across at least two of them, and drooling on another. Cloud, on the other hand, usually nestled up right in the middle, holding his beloved—though tattered and falling apart—chocobo that his mother had given to him when he was four.

A quick survey of the bed and tangled sheet-encased legs told the blonde that his precious stuffed animal was most definitely missing in action. Slowly—and wincing when the bed creaked—he sat up and resumed biting his lip. In the twelve years since he had gotten Coco, he had never woken up—or slept—without him. He peeled the sheets off of him and searched under them. No Coco. Panicking, he leaned over Angeal and Zack, searching the floor. Again, no Coco. He sat up further and looked over Sephiroth and Genesis, and felt his eyes sting with tears when he found no familiar and comforting lump of yellow cloth. He rubbed the back of his hand across his eyes and slid back down between Zack and Sephiroth, curling up in a ball.

Silver hair moved and shifted, and he watched it blankly, still biting his lip. Sephiroth rolled over, facing him, eyes closed and face peaceful, and—Coco? Cloud stared, dumbfounded, at the tattered chocobo clutched tightly to the General's chest. He blinked. Then blinked again. Then stared at Sephiroth's sleeping face. He reached out a hand and grabbed Coco's poorly-stuffed body, pulling on it desperately. Long, pale fingers tightened their grip, and Sephiroth's brow furrowed in a frown. Cloud tugged again, trying to pry Sephiroth's fingers away from his chocobo. Sephiroth snapped one cat-like green eye open and stared Cloud, who tugged feebly on Coco again and sniffled slightly.

The General blinked the other eye open, yawned, then looked down at the tattered stuffed bird in his hand, eyebrow cocked in amusement. He looked back at Cloud's poorly concealed tears, and immediately dove into panic mode. He pressed the bird into the cadet's hands, and pulled him close, wrapping his arms around him tightly. He kissed the teen's forehead, rubbing his hands in gentle circles. After a moment, Cloud whined and pushed against his chest. A playful pink tongue darted from between his lips before he leaned up and pecked Sephiroth on the cheek. With a silly little giggle, he snuggled up to Sephiroth, crushing Coco in his grip. Hesitantly, he tugged one of Sephiroth's hands down between their two bodies, and wrapped the long fingers around Coco's wing. Blue eyes studied the General's face, as if asking for approval. He got it in the form of a fond smile, and a chaste kiss on the lips. Between them, fingers rearranged until they were holding Coco together, fingers intertwined. Cloud smiled, burying his face into the crook of Sephiroth's neck before slipping back into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry it's so short! It was just a cute little thing that popped into my mind. Review?<strong>


End file.
